Subject: Black wasp with orange wings Geographic location of the bug: In Genesee id Date: 10/13/2018 Time: 09:21 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Hey, so I have never seen one of these before… Google said it is a tarantula wasp??? Just curious what it is… How you want your letter signed: Shara cook

Spider Wasp

Dear Shara,Tarantula Hawks are Spider Wasps in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis that prey on Tarantulas, and according to BugGuide data, the latter genus is not found as far north as Idaho, and similarly, BugGuide data on the genus Pepsis also shows a more southern range. Other Spider Wasps have similar coloration. Your individual might be Calopompilus pyrrhomelas which is pictured on BugGuide and reported from Idaho based on BugGuide data.

Are they dangerous, or like a normal sting or bite? I picked it up with a leaf , and put it in the sun. It was cold on my porch.

Spider Wasps are not aggressive towards humans, and Tarantula Hawks are reported to have very painful stings. Since your individual is also a member of the tribe Pepsini that includes Tarantula Hawks, it might also have a painful sting. Again, Spider Wasps are not aggressive, but they can sting.

Subject: Spider Wasp Geographic location of the bug: Omaha, Nebraska Date: 08/29/2018 Time: 03:44 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: I thought this was one bug when I saw it out the corner of my eye. Nope! It was a wasp carrying a big spider. How you want your letter signed: Alissa Apelanapeladay.com

Spider Wasp with Prey

Dear Alissa, Your images of a female Spider Wasp with her prey are awesome. The Spider wasp isEntypus unifasciatus and the prey is likely a large Wolf Spider.

Subject: Spider Wasp: Entypus unifasciatus Geographic location of the bug: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Date: 08/22/2018 Time: 06:23 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: Encountered this Spider wasp attempting to haul off his bounty today…wolf spider. A rather large wolf spider at that. Respect for anything that takes care of these nasty spiders for me. How you want your letter signed: Stefanie

Spider Wasp with Prey

Dear Stefanie, Only female Spider Wasps hunt for prey to feed the brood. We agree your wasp is Entypus unifasciatus, and according to BugGuide: “Females dig a burrow that ends in a terminal chamber off of the side of a mammal burrow or large crack in the ground. The serrations on the hind tibiae are used to aid the movement of soil out of the burrow entrance. The position in which the egg is laid is unknown. Larvae feed on one large spider and, as in all Pompilids that have one generation per year, overwinter as pupae.”

Subject: Unindentified Wasp kills large weaver spider Geographic location of the bug: Western Virginia, United States Date: 07/16/2018 Time: 04:19 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: I photographed this bright blue- winged, orange bodied wasp? pulling a large weaver spider across the deck and then backwards (up a 20 foot chimney) until out of sight! Please help identify. We have four children in the home and would like to know if this is an aggressive species with a sting anything like a tarantula hawk?? It was upset at the close up photograph,on the deck, it let go of the spider and flew at me. I ran inside for a minute and it went back to the spider. How you want your letter signed: Naomi, Covington Virginia

Spider Wasp with Prey

Dear Naomi, This Spider Wasp appears to be Tachypompilus ferrugineus, and it is not an aggressive species. While many wasps are capable of stinging, solitary species like this Spider Wasp very rarely sting people, and generally that happens only when they are carelessly handled.

Subject: Wasp? Geographic location of the bug: Lincoln Nebraska Date: 07/13/2018 Time: 11:38 PM EDT Your letter to the bugman: This buzzed by my sidters house today and I’ve never seen anything like it. Is it dangerous? They have kids and pets to keep safe. How you want your letter signed: Concerned Sister

Spider Wasp

Dear Concerned Sister, The time for your concern is long passed since it appears the Spider Wasp in this image was already dispatched with some type of spray that formed puddles around its body. Spider Wasps are not aggressive, though the might sting if carelessly handled. They are considered beneficial as they help to keep Spider populations in check. Many insects accidentally enter the home, and the best way to remove them alive is to trap them in a glass, and then slip a postcard between the glass and the surface so the insect can be safely transported outside. We believe the Spider Wasp in your image is Tachypompilus ferrugineus based on this BugGuide image. Here is an image of a Spider Wasp with its prey. Because we feel this harmless Spider Wasp was dispatched unnecessarily, we are tagging this posting as Unnecessary Carnage.

Thanks for the reply. I’m glad to have the info. The insect was only a bit stunned by the water. Enough to be able to catch and release it. It flew off a few minutes later, according to my sister. But it sure gave her a fright and I couldn’t identify it as anything I’ve ever seen. I’ll pass the info along that she doesn’t need to be afraid if she see another. She was watering plants and just sprayed it with the water bottle, took pic, and got it out of the house in a Tupperware. Again thanks for the info.

Thanks for that information. We will post your addition and remove the Unnecessary Carnage tag.

Subject: Flying stinging bug Geographic location of the bug: Perth Western Australia Date: 03/04/2018 Time: 07:52 AM EDT Your letter to the bugman: My mother has been stung by this and I have no idea what it is How you want your letter signed: Stinging bug

Spider Wasp, we believe

The antennae and the spines on the hind legs lead us to believe this is a species of Spider Wasp in the family Pompilidae, but alas, we have not had any luck locating any images online that look like your individual. Perhaps one of our readers will have better luck than we have had. According to Brisbane Insects: “Most of the Spider Warps [sic] are orange and black, black and grey/white markings or just black, i.e., the very strong warning colours. They usually have tinted wings, smooth and shiny body. Their hind-legs are long and always have two prominent spurs. They tend to coil their antennae. They usually hunting on ground with the characteristic wing flicking movement. Females have very powerful sting.”